The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-03-12

events, taking the series as a whole
apart from what proceeds or follows,
representing usually the achievements
of some distinguished hero. 1t is
chiefly of a narrative. In wider
sense epic poetry comprises the ballad,
the romance and the fable, but in its
more limited use it may simply denote
the popular legends AMI tales of a
nation or tribe which have been col
lacted and arranged.
Of the Greek epics, two only, the
lliad" and the "Ods ssey,n have
come down to us, and the study of
these has helped US f. understand tie
true nature of the epic.
Until the close of the last century,
Homer WAS regarded as the original
authors of these epics, but in 1895, F.
A. Wolf, learned German PhiIolo-
gist broached the theory that the
poems OF Homer were not the work of
one but many poets. In fact, they APP
pear to be, to some extent at least, a
collection of Greek legends and tales
arranged Gas is now generally admit
ed) by the mastermind of a great po-
etic genius
\ similar origin must also be adj
mitted for the lIindoo and Persian
epics, and for the Finnish ''Kalevala'
and the German 'Nibelungen.
From the manneriu which it origin
ated, the nature OF the epic is easily
arrived at
As the poetical summation of the
popular legends of a race Or tribe in
which all the thoughts and feelings of
the race are mirrored, il must embody
the pecul!arities Of the nation, and
must be complete and true picture
Of the life and doings Of race. Thus
it is that i'll the same nation different
epics may exist.
While, for instance, " HAD is a
collection of the war legends of the
Greeks, the Odyssey" treats of the
family life and travels on land and sea.
This form of an epic is only possible
in the early youth Of nation, when
the legends still circulate among the
people and are believed by them But
there have, nevertheless, been at
tempts at epics in later times, which
have been the work of q single poet
This is the difference between Virgil
and Homer. Among the more prom
inent epic poets of modern times are
Dante, Fa5so, Camoeus, Milton and
klopstock. Bat the more practical
and prosaic the world becomes, the
more this form Of poetry will disap-
pear, and ii is only a romantic or
connie epic, like Byronss +" Don Juan"
that viii he Successful in these days,
w!aila the novels takes the place of
the epic. else.
In the Superior department OF
the Dulnth News, We find the follow
ing item:
4 company, consisting chiefly of
wealthy fasteners. have been formed
for the purpose OF producing fuel
from crude peat. The capital stock is
5000, 900 From experiments made
by experts ii has been found that the
peat can be solidified to a density OF
eighty pounds per cubic foot, or equal
TO Illinois coal. 1t can be manufac-
tured at a cost not exceeding the
freight alone on coal from Buffalo to
Superior, and one ton will evaporate
more water than a cord of dry oak
wood The company proposes to man
u'acture a peat cake pronounced by
experienced charcoal men to be super
Tor in quality and chcapness of manu-
facture to that of the best hard wood
charcoal. This will certainly give
the iron industries new impetus, the
want Of cheap and reliable fuel in suf-
ficient quantities have been the chief
drawback. The company, ii is said,
will contract for 100000 tons to be
delivered before August l, 1887.
The TINES has alluded to this same
subject on former occasions, and we
trust the company alluded to above
will push the business TO the front.
We have seen a good many peat beds
IN the western country, but none that
equal, either in extent or quality,
those Of Douglas county. The new
process Of preparing the fuel as inau-
gurated by Messrs. W. II. Newton
and r. B. Mclean, in their expert
ments last summer, is by far the best
known. This fuel, made here last
summer was thoroughly tested by com
petcnt manufacturers Of iron and steel
and in every instance pronounced all
that could be desired if quantity was
ample, and as there is hardly any
limit to the supply, we do not see how
the manufacture Of peat into fuel and
charcoal can fail to be a mine of
wealth to those engaged in the bust
ness.
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